


Parting Words

by kiyala



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Confessions, Graduation, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 02:36:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6266188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matsukawa confesses his feelings for Hanamaki at graduation, knowing that they're unrequited. Hanamaki's not so sure about that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Parting Words

**Author's Note:**

> written for the prompt _things you said that I wish you hadn't_

Their graduation ceremony is held on a warm, sunny day that is both exciting and draining. Takahiro is busy catching up with classmates and teachers alike, and he's absolutely exhausted by the end of it, when most people have already gone home after their photos and goodbyes and promises to stay in touch. The entire volleyball club comes out to see the third years off and so they all stay behind a little longer, but when their numbers begin to dwindle as well, Takahiro feels a hand on his back. It's Issei, nodding over to the trees growing by the side of the quadrangle. Takahiro follows, until they're standing under one of the cherry blossoms, curious. 

Issei looks stressed, but he has been for the past few weeks. Takahiro just assumed that it was because of their impending graduation but now, he's not so sure. Issei looks more stressed than ever, like he's trying to find his voice, but can't.

"What's up?" Takahiro speaks up instead. He doesn't ask if Issei's feeling okay, when it's obvious that he's not.

With a quiet sigh, Issei looks up at the branches over their heads, speaking at them instead. "I don't even know if I want to say this, to be honest."

"Cryptic," Takahiro murmurs. "I can't really help you there, you know."

"Yeah," Issei laughs quietly, but it sounds strained. "Look, I'm telling you this just to get it out in the open, okay? You don't have to—you don't even have to reply if you don't want to, okay?"

Takahiro frowns, but he nods when Issei looks at him. "Okay."

"I like you," Issei tells him. "I know you don't like me, not the same way, and that's okay. It's just that if I didn't tell you today, then I'd never say it. I'm sorry if this makes things weird in retrospect, but at least we're not going to see each other every day, right? So—"

"Matsukawa," Takahiro interrupts, shaking his head. "We're graduating, okay? We're not dying. We're still going to see each other. It's fine. You didn't make things weird. You're my best friend, you know. That's not going to change."

Issei's shoulders sag with obvious relief. "Right."

Takahiro punches Issei's arm lightly. "What did you think I'd say, that had you prepared for the worst like that?"

"I don't know," Issei mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just didn't want things to be weird."

"Things are fine," Takahiro assures him. "Relax."

It's not until later, when Takahiro is in bed, that he really starts thinking about it. He lies awake, staring up at his ceiling, dwelling on the fact that technically, he never said that he didn't like Issei back.

There's a reason for that, whether it was intentional at the time or not. He's been wondering about his own feelings for Issei lately, because they don't feel quite as platonic as they used to. He didn't think that it was anything worth acting on until he figured it all out, but now that Issei's opened up about his own feelings, anything Takahiro does will just look like it's a reaction to that. Maybe it is; Takahiro still doesn't know. He can't blame Issei for wanting to get it off his chest but at the same time, Takahiro wishes that he held off just a little longer. He feels like their conversation would have been completely different, if Issei held off for a few more weeks. 

They see each other the next day, because Takahiro is determined to prove that things are still the same as they ever were between them. Issei probably knows that this is the reason behind it, but he seems happy enough to go along with it anyway. 

"My parents won't stop talking about university," Issei complains, as they walk to their favourite ramen place. "They're already talking about my courses and everything. I just want to tell them to calm down. School finished _yesterday_."

Takahiro laughs. "It's because you're the oldest. My sister had to deal with the same thing when started university a couple of years ago, so my parents have already gotten it out of their systems."

"Lucky you," Issei grumbles.

Laughing, Takahiro gently elbows Issei before they sit down across from each other. This really doesn't feel any different to before, and Takahiro is a little relieved about that. It makes him wonder just how different things would be if this was a date instead, but that's dangerous territory and he knows better than to think too hard about it. 

For now, he's just happy to enjoy this. He can figure the rest out later, and then figure out what to do about it after that. He just wants to hold onto this feeling for as long as he can. 

Unfortunately for him, it takes him all of two weeks to realise that he's actually head over heels for Issei. 

It might be because they're not seeing each other every day, so it feels special when they do, or maybe just because being aware of Issei's feelings makes Takahiro spend more time thinking about his own. Either way, he doesn't know what to do about it, so he just keeps quiet, filled with so much longing when they're together that it feels a little overwhelming when they part ways again. University isn't going to start for a while, so they have enough free time to see each other on a regular basis, along with everyone else from school. 

Things don't feel quite as bad when they're in a group, because at least there are others to distract him, and he doesn't have Issei's attention on him the entire time. Sometimes, though, they're even worse. He and Issei will end up sitting next to each other, and the way their sides keep brushing against each other is a little maddening. Sometimes, he'll turn away from a conversation and find Issei watching him, a small, fond smile tugging at his lips, and Takahiro's heart feels like it's going to swell to five times its size. 

He tries to be subtle about it, though, because he doesn't want the others picking up on it before he's ready to talk to Issei about it. The last thing he wants to do is have one of their friends call him out on his feelings and then have to stumble through an explanation. Takahiro's feelings seem to get more difficult to ignore by the day, though, and he knows that he's going to have to talk to Issei sooner rather than later.

It's just over a month after graduation, and they're walking home together after having dinner with their friends. It's a quiet night, the air thick with the smell of coming rain. Takahiro clears his throat as their hands brush against each other, and Issei glances over, raising an eyebrow in question.

"This is probably going to sound weird," Takahiro says, glancing over at Issei. "Do you still like me?"

The expression that crosses Issei's face is both pained and confused for a moment, before he laughs quietly. "Yeah, I do." 

"Okay," Takahiro breathes. "That's… um. That's—"

"Weird?" Issei guesses, as they both stop walking. "Uncomfortable? You're still thinking about it. I shouldn't have said anything—"

"No, that's not what I mean," Takahiro interrupts, shaking his head. "Shit. I'm trying to say I like you too." 

Issei stares at him. "…Oh."

"I thought that I might, before you told me," Takahiro says. "I didn't know for sure. I didn't want to give you a half-assed answer, and I didn't want to say anything in case it was just because of your feelings." 

"You think too hard," Issei chuckles. 

"So do you," Takahiro replies. "I know you wouldn't have told me unless you thought everything out and you knew exactly what you felt. I didn't want to do anything less in return."

Issei lets out a huff of amusement. "So, you like me."

"Yeah," Takahiro says softly. "I like you." 

"Enough to date me?" Issei asks, brushing his fingers against the back of Takahiro's hand. 

Grinning, Takahiro turns his hand around, curling his fingers around Issei's. "Yeah. I'd say so."

Issei squeezes Takahiro's hand tightly and between that and his wide smile, he doesn't really need to say any more.


End file.
